Quit Victoria praises plan to eliminate tobacco promotion

Plans to eliminate all forms of tobacco promotion and reduce the visibility of tobacco products have been applauded by Quit Victoria.

The plans were revealed as part of a broader national strategy being proposed to stamp out the harm and damage related to tobacco in Australia.

Quit Victoria's Executive Director, Todd Harper, said putting tobacco products out of sight at the point of sale is crucial in preventing young people from taking up a habit that eventually kills up to 2 out of 3 lifetime smokers.

""As traditional forms of tobacco marketing have become restricted, the tobacco industry has turned its creative energies to attracting smokers through point of sale advertising"" said Mr Harper.

“By banning the display of cigarettes at the point of sale, the Government has an opportunity to dismantle the idea that cigarettes are like other products on display including confectionary, newspapers or other ordinary household items.”

“Cigarettes are not ordinary products, they are addictive and the health consequences of smoking are enormous and removing them from point of sale will reinforce that message to the Australian public.”

“Addicted smokers would still be able to purchase cigarettes if they were out of sight, but the tobacco industry would not be afforded the luxury of another avenue for promotion.”

Mr Harper said implementing the proposals in the strategy would continue the positive work of the Federal Government who last week became the 34th country to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

“In ratifying the FCTC the Federal Government flagged the issue of tobacco control as a national and international priority.”

“Now is the time to continue that good work and ensure measures are taken to abolish tobacco promotion, giving Australia the best chance possible to minimise the massive harms inflicted by the tobacco industry,” said Mr Harper.